WEST VIRGINIA (WOAY)- What do Fayetteville, Sutton, Marlinton, Lewisburg, Hinton, and Bluefield all have in common?
Is it that they are all in the southern part of the state? While technically that is true, there’s something all the more unique about them.
They’re all homes to theatres on the WV Historic Theatre Trail.
The trail is a statewide tour of over 30 different theaters around the Mountain State. The trail started back in 2010 after receiving a Preserve America Grant back in 2007, and it’s only grown since.
This one-tank trip series will take us to the eight theatres in the southern region of this trail. Each one, while similar in nature, offers a unique experience that they want you to join in on.
“They’re doing theater production or they are playing movies for their community. It can look different, but each theater is absolutely a landmark within its community and we’re really excited to see them highlighted on this theater trail,” said Jamie Billman, the Preservation manager for the Preservation Alliance of West Virginia.
We start this trip in Fayetteville with a town staple, the Historic Fayette Theatre.
The theatre originally opened in 1938 as a movie house with the film “That Certain Age.” However, for some time it was non-functioning, till a local businessman brought it back to life and it became the community theatre we know today. Although the theatre hosts more than just stage productions, it provides a place for the community to come together.
“We have performed plays that were comedies, musicals, and Christmas plays. We’ve had people, local artists, come in and have concerts. We’ve streamed documentaries that pertain to our local community. We’ve had memorial services in the building for our community as well,” explained Sharon Bibb, the President of the Historic Fayette Theater. “So truly, throughout all the years, it’s been a beacon in the community in downtown Fayetteville, just bringing laughter and sometimes a place to grieve together, sometimes a place to share hurt and conflicts and hope.”
Next, we head to the northernmost theatre on the trail, the Landmark Studio for the Arts.
This theatre is also the oldest on the trail, as it has been standing since the late 1800s — although it was originally a church. Then, in the 1980s, a couple who came to Sutton wanted to give this beautiful building a new life.
“I think they had experienced a lot of different cultures and things. And they wanted to bring a little bit of that to Sutton,” said Becky Conrad, a member of the board of directors for Landmark Studio for the Arts. “And I also know that their children were involved in the theater program at our local high school when it was really strong. And I think it just fits our community. The Sutton is kind of known for the arts, and I think it just, you know, it made sense to them.”
Ever since the landmark has hosted multiple shows for the community to enjoy.
Now we’re heading over to Marlinton, where we’ll find the Pocahontas County Opera House.
This space was built in 1910, and it was a vaudeville theatre. Although it was called an opera house to help elevate it’s status in a rural area.
However, it was only a theater for 6 years, then for a majority of its history it was a variety of different spaces. From the local paper, a church, a rec center, county fair, car dealership, to even storage for a local hardware store.
Then a group of people who remembered this place as a theater, wanted to restore it to it’s former glory. They then headed to the state to fund this restoration.
“That’s an interesting thing. We found a box of letters at some point by Ruth Morgan, who was the head of the restoration effort,” explained Brynn Kusic is the Operations Manager at the Pocahontas County Opera House. “And just for years, she wrote to legislators saying, ‘We have this beautiful theater. We want to return it to its original glory and we need your help.’ And they said, ‘Well, Mrs. Morgan, that’s a very nice idea, but the most rural county in West Virginia can definitely not support a performing arts center.’ And here we are, 25 years post the restoration.”
Now, after a short drive down to Greenbrier County, we visit our next theater, the Lewis Theatre.
The theater was built in 1939 by the Yarids family in Lewisburg. Although we don’t know much about the theater besides it, like many historic theaters, was a vaudeville theater. The theatre now hosts movies, live music, and performances for all to enjoy.
Now, just take a nice walk down Church Street and you’ll find Carnegie Hall.
The building we know today was built in 1902 after the original building burned down in 1901. Carnegie Hall replaced one of the two buildings for Greenbrier College for Women after Andrew Carnegie donated over $26,000 to build it.
“An interesting tidbit on that is when they did ask for the money for that, they called it a sanctuary. Andrew Carnegie did not fund any churches and immediately wrote back, ‘we do not fund churches,’ and the president of the college then wrote back and said, ‘of course, this is an auditorium for a college,'” said Philip McLaughlin, the Marketing Director for Carnegie Hall in Lewisburg.
That college lasted to the 70s, after the state used the building as a mental health facility for some time, the community came together and raised $8 million in less than 10 years to bring the space we know today.
Now let’s head to Hinton to visit the Ritz Theatre.
This theater opened in 1929 with what is believed to be the first film screened there, “The Fall of Eve.” While it was renovated in 2009, this theater has been going strong since it’s start. The manager for this theater says that it’s the community feel and personal touch that they provide to audiences that has helped keep this theater up and running for all this time.
“Really, what we try to focus on here is just the community, you know, the importance of community and the importance of being able to come and experience and see a movie with your loved ones or with your, you know, your kids, your family,” said Will Radford, the Theater manager for the Ritz Theatre. “And just to have that experience in a way that I think differs from some of the bigger multiplexes, it’s more of a personal touch, I think, here at the Ritz.”
He says that the local community can feel the hard work that the staff does to provide this experience.
Next, we drive to Bluefield for the final two theaters. The first stop in Bluefield is the Historic Granada Theater.
This theater is almost 100 years old, as it opened in 1927. Over the years since its start as a vaudeville theater, it has welcomed a variety of performers and entertainers to Bluefield, including Frank Sinatra. It also screens films for all to enjoy.
The theater closed down in the 1970s and was recently restored in 2021. The restoration efforts, however, did not slow down, as the original Wurlitzer organ was redone in 2024.
The last theater on our adventure is just a 5-minute walk from the Granada, it’s the Auditorium at the Bluefield Arts Center.
This theater is unique as the original building was the old Bluefield municipal building. When the new municipal building was built, the city planned to demolish it, but the community came together to have it repurposed into the arts center we know today.
Now we’ve traveled to 8 different theaters in 6 different counties, but the question is, why is preserving these local venues important?
“So it really does offer a window to the past.” “There’s a rich history that we are very proud of as West Virginians.” “How magical it was to share that experience with other people.” “When people come into the theater, they’re transported back in time.” “It brings that history to life so you know you’re participating with generations before you that have also enjoyed the arts.” “People need an outlet that they can go and kind of escape reality.”
That sense of community is what these theaters thrive on, and they want to share their community with you. So, preserving our history is a way to help grow our communities in the future.
If you wish to help support your local theaters, consider visiting when they have shows or movies playing, volunteering, or donating. Your help is greatly appreciated. If you’re a local theater that wants to join the Historic Theater Trail, you can apply at apply@pawv.org.
If you wish to visit these theaters on the trail, well, luckily for you, you only have to fill up your tank once for this trip.
